Sonia's Cupcakes

Raining Color with a Touch of Gold!!

2011-05-31T14:30:00.000-07:00

Color, color, color and a sprinkle of gold was the theme for this Christening!! It suited the baby's name so well- Chrisyida or Χρυσηιδα, meaning gold. So perfect were the colors to go with that beautiful, sunny day!! So much fun making these!

Like getting a bouquet of fresh flowers!

It's a Bow Tie Event!

2011-05-31T03:15:00.000-07:00

Remember a few posts ago where I was extremely inspired by the book Kinky Cupcakes?! Well, it's one of the moments again! I have been meaning to try it for a while now, and here you have it! This time not so much about the recipes but about the decorations!

Cute, huh?!....Not to mention elegant!!

Stay tuned for the all Black and White Bow Tie theme!!

Beautiful, Colorful Cupcake Liners!!

2011-05-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

Love these Swedish cupcake liners!! They are the best! The color remains intact after baking and its shape looks elegant till the end! It never gets greasy....leaving you with a clean, crisp looking cupcake.

I like to call it a cupcake's LITTLE BLACK DRESS!!

Filled or Baked in a Cupcake!

2011-04-25T01:02:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed that I have been on a fill the cupcake frenzy lately! Once I got my corer, I wanted to fill each cupcake with everything I could think of!
Then, I saw a Cadbury Creme Egg inside a cupcake by Zoeycakes in Cupcakes Take The Cake and that was it for me! Not only was I filling cupcakes with what ever I could come up with, but I was now in the -what can I stick in it and bake it - overdrive!

To show you what I mean, here are my latest experiments!

Chocolate Cupcake filled with mini cream filled chocolate Easter egg and Vanila Bean Buttercream

Chocolate Covered Coconut mini baked in Buttermilk Chocolate Cupcake


Nutella Filled Chocolate Cupcake and later Frosted with Chocolate Ganache (BEFORE)


AFTER


Peanut Butter Cupcake filled with Strawberry Jam and Peanut Butter Frosting

Chocolate Cake with Dulce de Leche and Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

It doesn't end, here! These are from my previous posts!

Lemon Poppy Seed Filled with Raspberry Jam and Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Brown Sugar Vanilla Cupcake Filled with Dulce de Leche and Cream Cheese Buttercream

How do I go back to my non-filled or non-baked-in cupcakes??!!

Gooey Chocolate Coconut Cupcake!

2011-04-20T02:16:00.000-07:00

This cupcake should be called DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN! What a combination....Coconut and Chocolate!! I found this great store bought Coconut spread with Coconut Flakes by Deluxe in a German supermarket called Lidl, here, in Greece! (For all my Greek and foreign friends- a MUST get) Delicious!!

The whole thing was soooo gooey- it almost melted in your mouth! Hints of Coconut Flakes would give you a subtle crunch and the Creamy, Velvety Chocolate Ganache would just smooth it away! Yummmmm!

Of course, this one is empty! Licked it clean!!!

Unforgettable!!!....Will do it again soon!

Summer Breeze!

2011-04-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

LEMON POPPY SEED CUPCAKE WITH RASPBERRY FILLING AND LEMON SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

Summer is almost here and all these great spring/summer flavors and colors are in the air! So much fun! Want to take all the fruits and make a fruit punch out of my cupcakes! Hey wait!...hmm?! Another idea!!! Is lemon a fruit or vegetable??? A vegetable, I think. I forget...

Anyway, what better way to introduce the summer than by making lemonade? With a lemon poppy seed cupcake filled with raspberry jam and topped with a light, velvety lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream, I say!!

RECIPE:

For the cake:

You can use any vanilla cake you like. Just add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, two tablespoons of lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds. I used, again, my favorite WHITE WINE cake (see previous post for recipe).

FILLING:

One jar of a good raspberry jam. I used the French St. Dalfour Frambouises. It's very tangy. I like it.

LEMON SWISS MERINGUE BUTTER CREAM:

4 Egg whites

1 cup of sugar

250 grams of butter (softened)

1/4 tsp. of cream of tartar

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tbsp. lemon zest

3-4 tbsp. of lemon juice

yellow paste color

In a heat-proof metal mixer bowl put egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar. Place over another pot of simmering water and whisk until sugar dissolves and it's not grainy anymore. You can tell it's done when you pinch it and it's smooth between your fingers. It takes about 3-5 minutes.

Take bowl to mixer stand and beat with the whisk attachment on medium speed until egg mixture is completely cooled and has a glossy white color (I keep touching the bowl to check temperature). Change to paddle attachment and beat on medium-high slowly adding the butter pieces. You will see it curdle at one point....don't stop or panic, keep going until you hear a flapping sound. This flapping sound means that the buttercream has reached that velvety texture we all love. You can stop here and add all the other ingredients but I like to let it go beating for another 5 minutes. This makes it fluffier and whiter. Then I add the flavors, beat for another minute until incorporated and then add color paste. Yummmm!

CONSTRUCTION:

After cupcakes have cooled, make holes in the center of each one with a knife or with my favorite cupcake corer. Fill with Raspberry jam and frost with Swiss Meringue ButterCream (You can use a piping bag or a spatula). And you are done!!!

SO DELICIOUS!

Strawberry Milles Feuilles (Napoleon) Cupcakes!

2011-03-29T03:20:00.000-07:00

God, I've been dying to make these for so long!! And Spring is the perfect time for it!
First, one thing I'd like to say is that Milles Feuilles (Napoleons) in Greece are THE BEST outside of France! Believe me, growing up in NYC, this has been one of my favorite desserts, and I have had sooo many there....but it does NOT compare to the ones here. This is hard for me to admit as a New Yorker, but it's the truth! I think New York has very high standards when it comes to, well....just about anything!!! But this one is a winner.

Back to my new invention! I wasn't sure that this was going to work out. But, hey, just about anything has been made into a cupcake, why not a Milles Feuilles cupcake!
I don't know what else to say, only that it turned out so much better than I ever imagined it would. It was insanely delicious!! Light, fresh and not too sweet!!

This one is definitely a must and I will share it as best as I can. I tried to follow recipes here and there but I always end up doing my own thing and many times not measuring!!! A splash here, a tad there.....

Ok, here it goes!

For the cake I used a yellow cake recipe that I've always loved! It's a cake made with WINE, from one of my favorite cook books The Silver Palate by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. This book is great! It takes me way back to the time in NYC when I used to frequently visit their shop and sample many of their irresistible dishes! What a cute, little place that was!! Oh! The good old days!...

This cake is very versatile; it goes with just about anything....and so easy to make!

2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
and here goes my favorite part!
1 cup of dry WHITE WINE!
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 tsps. of baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C.

Beat sugar and eggs for about 30 seconds on medium speed with and electric mixer. Then pour all the other ingredients into the egg/sugar mixture and beat for another minute. That's all!! Super easy.

Divide into prepared cupcake pans and fill a little less than 3/4 each one. You want to have some room on top to hold some of the pudding cream later. Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the pudding cream.....this is where I have a hard time explaining since I've always made my own pudding without measuring for my kids. To make it easier, you can use ready made, or use this recipe I found and followed, but made some changes. I added an extra teaspoon, more or less, of Madagascar Vanilla. Please, please do not skip this step and use regular extract instead of either the vanilla bean or Madagascar!!! Trust me, I did it and had to do it all over again! It makes all the difference!!

Then add about 2 1/2 cups of heavy cream, whipped with 3 tablespoons of sugar (more or less), to the pudding cream (or pastry cream...whatever you want to call it), and beat both, very briefly, until nicely blended. You will also need about an extra four cups of whipped cream for topping.

The Puff Pastry

You can make it the day before if you like. It's just Puff pastry already rolled out to thin strips and sprinkled with a little caster sugar. Bake it in a cookie sheet for about 7 minutes or until golden in 200 C or 400 F.

*Cut some fresh strawberries for topping and have some confectioner's sugar at hand for sprinkling.

Construction of cupcake:

Make holes in cupcakes and fill with pudding cream. (BTW, if you don't have this yet, MUST get it!! Cupcake corer ....saves you so much time and it's so easy. Love it!)
Cover cupcake with a layer of pudding cream....just enough so it won't spill out. Place strawberries on it and top them with broken pieces of the puff pastry.
With piping bag, add whipped cream, again more broken pieces of puff pastry and sprinkle with plenty of confectioner's sugar. A slice of strawberry on top to finish as you would do with a cherry on a Sundae. And there you have it!

Hope I didn't make it too complicated! Really, it's not all that hard. If you prepare the pudding, puff pastry, and cupcakes ahead, then in the end it's just decorating it!

It's soooo worth it!

Dulce De Leche Cupcakes

2011-03-27T06:17:00.000-07:00

Dulce de Leche Cupcakes.....ahhh! What can I say, I love Dulce de Leche and I like to eat it by spoonfuls- straight from the jar! And the thought of it in a cupcake?! Well, I just had to try it!

I have seen so many recipes out there and I just couldn't make up my mind. I didn't know whether to do it with chocolate or vanilla cake, filling, no filling or just plain with Dulce de Leche buttercream.

After intensive searching, Just Jenn's cupcake recipe seemed to be the most appealing to me. She uses brown sugar in her vanilla cupcake and I thought this made sense for this particular flavor combination.

Now, filling or no filling? I went for the filling with Dulce de Leche. The thought of biting into that gooey-yum was irresistible to me! So I did.

For the frosting, don't even ask! I had seen so many versions and all sounded too sweet for my taste. In the end, I opted for the Cream Cheese recipe that I had seen in and adapted from Joy the Baker. I figured Cream Cheese would tone down the sugars.

Looks really good, right?! My own personal oppinion? Waaay too sweet for my taste!! Dulce de Leche in the cupcake, Dulce de Leche in the frosting and drizzled with Dulce de Leche.....even for me, a Dulce de Leche aficionado, well....it's just too much. But, hey, that's me!

What would I change??
This is what I would and will try next time: Same cake (well maybe I'll use my own, it'll work just fine!), same filling, change the frosting to Swiss Vanilla Buttercream (it's not as sweet!) and finish with Dulce de Leche drizzle. I think it would be more balanced this way.

Another version, where in South America is more common and now I can see why, is chocolate cake with Dulce de Leche filling! That makes more sense to me, I think.

Guess I have to experiment some more!

Rocky Road Cupcakes

2011-03-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

These Rocky Road Cupcakes are a combination of my own mix and match and an adaptation/inspiration of The Cupcakery's own version.
I made my favorite chocolate cake and stirred in the marshmallows and chocolate chips. The buttercream has a hint of caramel flavoring plus a teaspoon or two of cocoa powder. Finally, I sprinkled the choc.chips, walnuts and marshmallows on top and drizzled it with chocolate syrup.

Need I say more?...

Cupcake Party Favors!

2011-03-17T00:30:00.000-07:00

These are Vanilla,Vanilla pink cupcakes. They were given as party favors for a birthday party. Love how a simple box and a bow can dress a cupcake so nicely! Simple goes a long way!

Cupcake in a Basket

2011-03-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

I found these GREAT, TINY baskets the other day and I just couldn't resist!! I know they are EASTER baskets meant for Easter eggs and the likes, but why not a CUPCAKE! It would make such a wonderful PARTY FAVOR!

There are also other colors and patterns available that just scream SPRING!!
I used pink frosting on this one because that's what I had at the moment, but I think I would prefer plain white, lime green or yellow for this particular basket.

How PRETTY is that!!

Rich Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes!

2011-03-05T00:26:00.000-08:00

You might be wondering what is going with all this baking lately! Well, I have to confess that besides the new book I got as a gift the other day, I also got myself a NEW CAMERA!! YES, I did!!
I'm besides myself! My 'you know what' is on fire!! Can't stop! Want to bake, create and take pictures all the time!! Feeling so inspired and charged.

What a difference!! You can see it if you go back to my past posts!! No matter what I did, it served it no justice. It was terribly disappointing. I would be so happy with my final product and then my pictures would tell me another story! Yikes!! So glad that's a thing of the past now!!

Ok, ok....Back to cupcakes!! These are a very rich chocolate cupcakes with a deep raspberry buttercream. I finished it with melted Ion chocolate drizzle and a small chunk on top. (I'm also on an Ion chocolate drizzle frenzy lately).

What is it with Raspberry and Chocolate that goes so well together??! It is sooo delicious.....and that extra crunch that the cooled melted, chocolate gives it??! Insane!!

Rose Water and Turkish Delight Cupcakes Continue....

2011-03-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

Having liked so much the way Rose water compliments chocolate cupcakes, I decided to experiment with it a little bit more!

I figured, if it goes well with chocolate, then it must be great in the frosting!

So, I made some Vanilla Buttercream with Madagascar (to give it a more intense vanilla taste) and poured in two tablespoons of Rose Water. I added two tablespoons because I didn't want it too strong.... but that's me! You can add more or less depending on your preference.

Not to toot my own horn?!... but it was delicious!! I swear, my head won't stop thinking of all the possible ways I can use this!!
How about combining a little coconut and Rose Water in the frosting? Hmm...

So, while still on yesterday's mode of Turkish Delights and Rose Water, I added some, not too many, Turkish Delights on top. Remember, in Greek...Loukoumi!

...and then finished it with some Chocolate Drizzle!
Heaven!!!!

For those who like a lighter version, I omitted the chocolate on this one and threw on some silver dragees. Just as delicious! (You do get more the Rose water scent this way, as well). So pretty!

Can't wait to try it in other recipes!!
Will keep you posted!!

Loukoumi (Turkish Delight) Rose Water Chocolate Cupcakes!!

2011-03-01T03:27:00.000-08:00

So much to tell!! This weekend I got from my dearest friend and neighbor, Armando, a great cupcake book!

When he first told me the name of the book, I was a little hesitant....Kinky Cupcakes, he said. Kinky Cupcakes??!! I thought...Not my style!

Well, I must say, I was so pleasantly surprised to find such great recipes and decorations. Not only were they tastefully sexy and exotic but delicious as well. A great find and gift!

I immediately went to my kitchen and started working. I pulled this recipe out and adapted the cake part to my own. Everything else, plus decoration, is from the book! Kinky Cupcakes by Joanna Farrow. I love how she uses rose water in the chocolate cake! So yum!

Of course, I picked this particular recipe because of its Turkish Delight ( In Greek, Loukoumi). You know how much I love using Greek ingredients in my cupcakes!!...

Not so kinky after all!

Thanks, Armando!!

Cake Bunting, Flags and Banners!

2011-02-23T00:46:00.000-08:00

My new obsession??

Cake bunting, flags and banners!!

I love the way it gives it that rustic, homemade look to it....And they go great on Cupcakes too!

Got it from one of my favorite blogs The TomKat Studio.

Strawberry Fever!!!

2011-02-20T05:56:00.000-08:00

How to make Strawberry decorations for your cakes and cupcakes!

It's very easy! Simply make some heart cutouts.....

Prickle with a sculpting knife, blade, or toothpick....

Glue on some green daisies or green stars......

And there you have it, Strawberries!!

Half way there.....

For the cake, choose your favorite chocolate cake, fill with strawberry frosting and fresh strawberries (make sure they are nice and sweet!). Top with another layer of chocolate cake, frost again with strawberry frosting......

And decorate your heart away!!!!

My Cupcake Mascot!!!

2011-02-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

My sister sent me this cute cupcake pin last month. While I was holding it and looking at it, my Dobbie was annoyingly licking my hands and trying to get my attention. I took one look at him and saw him staring at me with those BEAUTIFUL eyes and I just couldn't resist!!! Next thing, he is wearing my pin!!!!

Doesn't he look Adorable!!! I LOVE YOU Dobbie!!!!

My First Vasilopita!!!

2011-01-09T06:33:00.000-08:00

Greek Vasilopita is a cake or sweet bread that is traditionally made to bring in the New Year. It is cut and served after midnight of New Year's Eve. A coin is placed in the cake or bread during the baking period. The eldest family member or head of household then blesses and cuts the Vasilopita and distributes it among the rest of the family and guests, beginning from eldest to youngest. Who ever gets the coin will have good luck for the new year.

This tradition varies among families but this is the short and simple version!

I have never made a Vasilopita before but since the Cake Vasilopita is slowly replacing the bread version, I decided (after a friend suggesting I make her one!) to give it a try! Initially, I was hesitant, insisting 'I don't make these!'.... but after thinking about it, I thought 'why not, it's just a cake!'.

Anyway, a cake I baked!! Vanilla almond cake, I thought for my first try, topped with Madagascar vanilla glaze. Then, an idea struck me!! This is like any cupcake....and flavors are endless! Why not make VASILOPITA CUPCAKES!!!! All you have to do is place the coin in one of the cupcakes!!!!! I thought brilliant!!! But my Greek friend was not ready for this!! She wanted to do the traditional cutting herself!

Oh well, I guess it's like a Thanksgiving turkey.......no fun if no one is carving it at the table!!!

Happy New Year!!! Kali Xronia!!!!

P.S. My friend loved it!!! And so did her kids!! Hoooray!!!

The Cupcake Marathon!!!

2010-12-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

This weekend I participated in a Christmas Bazaar for W.I.N. Hellas. It was a two day, all day Bazaar, so I had to make enough cupcakes to last me through both days. Me, the worrying type, decided that 600 cupcakes should cover it!!! God forbid I run out!!.....The thing was, they had to be ready by Friday night, the latest!!! So, the marathon began and I baked 600 and PLUS CUPCAKES!!

How did I do this? And with no help?....Well, with VERY little sleep and NON-STOP baking, of course!!!.....I really surprised myself with this project! It took very good planning, organizing, and a lot of math!!!! How much flour, butter, eggs, ect. would be needed, how many decorations had to be made, when to make them, how to make them, and on and on and on.....

Gotta say, that I really stressed myself out for this one!!! Every night this week I was DREAMING of cupcakes all night long!!! Dreaming about the decorations, the presentation, the piping, colors...you name it!

But FINALLY, I pulled it through!!! Friday night came along and I had finished them!!!!! WHAT A FEELING OF ACCOMPLISHMENT!! AND....OH, HOW SWEET IT WAS!!!............I decided then, that after this, I can pull anything off!!! So, BRING IT ON!!!

And this is me!! Gleaming with pride!!!!!!

Chocolate and Flower Love!

2010-11-21T12:39:00.000-08:00

My boys were in the mood for chocolate. So chocolate I made! These should be called triple chocolate cupcakes! Chocolate cupcake filled with thin chocolate Ganache (to the the point it would just ooze out of the cake) and topped with Ganache Frosting. I think they got they wished for!

Suited for a Princess!

2010-11-11T09:33:00.000-08:00

This were made last month for a six year old who wanted a princess theme for her birthday.
Well, what more can a girl want, I say! A tiara, stars, and lots of hot pink! These are the makings of a Princess!

Again, inspired by the Greeks!!!

2010-11-10T06:05:00.000-08:00

It's a custom for Greeks to have Mastic liquor after their meals. It has a light, sweet and distinct flavor. I love it! Mastic is also used for medicinal purposes, cooking, baking, cosmetics, soap, body lotions and many other uses. You will find it in their famous Easter bread and ice creams. So, I thought, why not in a cupcake? At first, I was worried that the flavor may be a little overwhelming, on the contrary, the frosting took the cake!!! Buttercream and Mastic liquor, a match made in heaven!!!

How about the Frappe? Everyone knows that a Greek will not do without his NesFrappe! It is common to see them holding a Frappe for long periods in most coffee shops. Well, it never occurred to me that this famous coffee would make such a stunning frosting!! It was totally delicious! Creamy, just the right dose of coffee and the Greek chocolate shavings really made this cupcake complete. Perfect for that afternoon break!!!

LESS IS MORE!

2010-11-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

The main theme for these cupcakes was simplicity….. flavors first and daisies second. The mother requested carrot cake with lemon glaze and a daisy on top. She emphasized keeping it simple. Nothing makes me happier than this! It epitomizes what I believe in, which is LESS is MORE. It is very disappointing when a cupcake is bombarded with decorations and alternately compromising the flavor. In the end you’re left wondering what you were eating! Kudos to Lucy!

Soccer Teams

2010-11-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

These were made for a Soccer Club party. To make everyone happy, the host requested the two most famous opposing teams of Greece, Olympiakos and Panathinaikos!! This is as close as you'll ever see them peacefully together!

Piping skills?

2010-11-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

This goes back to the beginning where I wanted experiment with my piping skills!... This can be sooo much fun!

Hmmm.....how about this?

Or this?

.......To be continued!